A fresh coat of paint glistens on one of the huge artillery guns at the bow end of the USS Iowa. In the battleship's heyday, the guns were capable of firing a 16-inch-diameter projectile a distance of more than 20 miles.

A portion of the 70-year-old Burmese teak decking on the USS Iowa, which was refurbished. The entire main deck was once covered with thousands of board feet of the 2-inch-thick planks to protect the steel under it from heat and corrosion.

Veterans who served on the USS Iowa and volunteers helping with the restoration prepare a 16-inch round for loading on the old battleship at the Port of Richmond. This round is inert and will be used for display. During its wartime duty, the Iowa's big guns could fire high explosive rounds like this more than 20 miles.

Diners enjoy their lunch at the Fantail Cafe on the USS Midway in the San Diego Harbor. An aircraft carrier, USS Midway started off slowly as a tourist attraction in San Diego but now sees over 1 million visitors per year.

Floating museums: The USS Iowa and USS Midway

When the battleship Iowa was commissioned in 1943, it was a powerful weapon in yet another war to end all wars.

Now its huge guns are pointed at a string of seafood restaurants in San Pedro, and it’s about to join America’s fleet of floating museums — some 48 warships that have been donated to coastal communities eager for tourist dollars and upgraded waterfronts.

Although some of the attractions have thrived, others have been swamped in debt or racked by age.

In San Diego, the aircraft carrier Midway has topped 1-million visitors per year. Another carrier, the Intrepid, is a must-see museum in Manhattan, especially with the recent arrival of the space shuttle Enterprise.

But near Houston, the century-old battleship Texas closed indefinitely last week after holes opened up in its corroded hull and it started taking on more than 1,500 gallons of water a minute. In Alameda, the aircraft carrier Hornet is getting by. But it was nearly shut down a few years ago when officials couldn’t cover the rent and electric bills. In Camden, N.J., the battleship New Jersey now has five full-time employees — down from a peak of 50.

The difference comes down to a real estate adage: “Location, location, location,” said Robert Kent, director of the Pacific Battleship Center, which will operate Los Angeles’ newest museum.

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